Lucas Museum September Opening
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art Opens in Los Angeles This September
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Key Points
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The museum contains more than 100,000 square feet of gallery space distributed across its 30-plus galleries, and its holdings include the complete Lucas Archives from 1971 to 2012.
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The free research library includes a curved, light-filled reading room and two additional floors of materials covering subjects such as anthropology, photography, children’s literature, underground comics, political comics and independent publishing.
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Designed by Chinese architect Ma Yansong of MAD Architects in partnership with Stantec, the museum is part of a 13-acre campus garden and features a sweeping glass-and-light exterior.
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A media preview displayed 1,200 works from a collection described as totaling 40,000 pieces and spanning 12 millennia of human creative expression.
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The museum’s Star Wars presentation includes a 200-foot gallery tracing the franchise’s cinematic history and artistic development, alongside rotating exhibitions and educational programs.
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art opens to the public on September 22 in Los Angeles, marking the end of a 17-year, $1 billion effort by filmmaker George Lucas and his wife Mellody Hobson. NBC News reports the 300,000-square-foot museum in Exposition Park will feature over 30 galleries exploring how images tell human stories across 12 millennia—from cave paintings to Star Wars production art.
The collection spans 40,000 works, including pieces by Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Banksy alongside costumes from The Wizard of Oz and a 200-foot Star Wars gallery. IBTimes notes the museum also includes a free research library, theaters, and 13 acres of gardens designed to welcome all visitors.
A Decades-Long Vision Finally Arrives
George Lucas first imagined this museum in the early 2000s. NBC News explains that earlier proposals in San Francisco and Chicago hit roadblocks—San Francisco's Presidio Trust rejected the plan in 2014, and Chicago faced lawsuits from park advocates. The project finally moved forward when Los Angeles offered Exposition Park as the site.
Architect Ma Yansong of MAD Architects designed the sweeping glass-and-light building. Construction began with a groundbreaking in March 2018 that included Steven Spielberg. The museum cost Lucas and Hobson $1 billion—a completely self-funded gift to the city.
'Popular Art Belongs in a Museum Too'
The Lucas Museum treats comic books, film props, and street art as seriously as classical paintings. Over 100,000 square feet of gallery space displays Norman Rockwell illustrations next to Banksy murals and Batman costumes. This approach challenges the old split between "high" and "low" culture. Lucas told CBS News: "I'm a contrarian... Contrarians are the ones that nobody likes, because they're thinking outside the box."
Co-founder Mellody Hobson emphasized public access in her remarks to CBS News: "This is a museum of the people's art—the images are illustrations of beliefs we live with every day." The museum offers free admission to residents of the 90037 ZIP code through the LM37 Pass program.
Opening Night Stars Gather at South LA Landmark
Just Jared reports that on September 19, George Lucas and Mellody Hobson hosted a star-studded gala. Co-chairs included Tom Cruise, Steven Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey, Pharrell Williams, Guillermo del Toro, and Lewis Hamilton. The guest list reflected the museum's mission to bridge celebrity culture and serious art.
The official opening on September 22 will welcome the public to explore galleries spanning from prehistoric visual storytelling to contemporary digital art. Northeast Times notes the $1.5 billion project represents one of Los Angeles's most ambitious cultural institutions in decades.
A Free Research Library and Educational Hub
Beyond galleries, the museum includes a free research library with three floors of materials on art history, illustration, film, comics, and photography. NBC News explains the library features a curved, light-filled reading room. The collection includes the complete Lucas Archives from 1971 to 2012, plus the Cinema Archive tracking African American film history—37,000 items alone.
Educational programs, theaters, and the landscaped 13-acre campus make the museum more than a gallery building. Hobson stated the goal is simple: "I want them to leave the building and say, anything is possible... You can create your own masterpieces."
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